“You’ve got to be able to put the ball in the hoop to win,” Freeport coach Cathie Murphy said. “We didn’t do it, so we just have to learn how to finish.”

The Huskies made just one field goal in the fourth quarter and trailed 27-26 with 1:59 left in the third after Katzenberger’s 3.

Theresa Heitz and Karley Draheim each scored from the field to give Harlem a 30-27 lead in going into the fourth.

The Pretzels had a 17-14 advantage at halftime after holding Harlem to four points in the second quarter. But defensive letdowns helped the Huskies to score 16 points on backdoor screens for relatively easy lay-ups.

“We talked about it at halftime and we knew what they were going to do,” Murphy said. “We just had a hard time getting through their screens.

“It’s back to the drawing board and doing more work on how to handle those situations.”

Neither Freeport nor Harlem could buy a basket in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t until 3:19 left in the game that either team got on the scoreboard.

Unfortunately for the Pretzels, Harlem’s Serina Cortinez was the player to break the ice after knocking down two free throws for a 32-27 score.

Harlem bled the clock from there on its next possession, stalling for more than a minute before Freeport was forced to foul with 1:21 left.

The Pretzels had six fouls, but chose not to foul right away and instead wanted to get a defensive stop.

“We wanted that trap in the corner,” Murphy said. “To put them on the foul line, that just gives them an easy basket and we get further behind.

“We wanted that trap or just get open pressure up front but we couldn’t quite get it.”

Harlem didn’t exactly thrive from the line late, despite Miranda Paddock making two free throws for a 34-27 with 1:21 left to go. Paddock later missed back-to-back 1-and-1 opportunities, but Freeport only came up with turnovers and bad shot attempts on the other end of the floor.

Freeport finally got on the board in the fourth with 10 seconds left in the game on Chasitee Shroyer’s free throws. By then, Harlem had a 35-29 advantage and Harlem made a quick lay-up just before time expired.